Just Merlin
by TheRainbowBrainedNutter
Summary: No one can know who Merlin really is...except Gaius. AU. Merthur. Prince!Merlin
1. Just Merlin

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In the darkness, a figure ran. He kept running he couldn't stop. The knights would find him. He heard them in the distance on horses and on foot, yelling. No, he couldn't stop. This place wasn't his home anymore; it was a prison. Ever since his sick mother sent him to live with his father...His father. The man who had cared for him for years on end had become clingy and paranoid. His eyes blazed with magic, every time his son overstepped the line.

His father...The king...

The knights told him stories they remembered of him when he was a baby. They accepted him as a little brother. And protected him as such. He felt an arrow whirl by his shoulder. The king told them to bring him home, at all costs. As long as he was alive, bring him home. He muttered a spell under his breath. He vanished from the knights' sight. They would find him. After all, this was his home and they were his family.

The prince appeared in Camelot. No one could know his past, as long as he wanted to stay here. He was Prince Merlin Emrys of Ealdor; now, he was Merlin. Just Merlin.


	2. Pain

**So, in this chapter (probably the whole story) Arthur will be very brotherly and protective toward Merlin. He knows about his magic. Review!**

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It had been two years since Merlin had come to Camelot. He was happy here. He watched as the knights practiced, with Mordred and Arthur. They were going to have a tournament with the knights and lords of other kingdoms. Merlin really didn't like swordplay, but he did feel left out. Even though he was clumsy, he could use a sword, after all he was a prince.

They knights were done training for the day. Now, Gwaine, Leon, Percival, Elyan, and Mordred would go with Arthur with to the Tavern. Merlin suddenly felt pain everywhere and doubled over. Arthur saw this and quickly walked over to him. "Merlin, are you alright?" Arthur took Merlin's chin and tilted it up.

"N...No..." Merlin choked out, before he collapsed and everything went dark.

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Merlin woke up in a soft bed, that defiantly wasn't his. "Merlin, are you alright? You look awful." Mordred and the knights were hovering over him, while Morgana and Gwen were sitting on the foot of the bed. Merlin touched his neck. Good, the neckerchief was still there. More pain shot through his body. He wanted to scream, but instead he gripped the covers and breathed, hard and fast. The most pain was at the base of his neck. Merlin felt his magic twist and boil at the bottom of his stomach. He didn't have anymore control.

His eyes turned gold, he could felt it. It hurt so bad. What was happening? "Stop...please...stop..." He pleaded to someone who couldn't hear him or didn't want to listen because the pain became stronger. He heard somebody yelling to get Gaius. He heard someone whispering in his ear and rubbing his head. Arthur. Merlin felt tears run down his cheeks. "Please, Arthur, make it stop. It hurts."

"I know. Just hang on. Hang on, for me."

Merlin gave a jerky nod. He could do that, right?

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Gaius was frantic and it scared them. He was never this worried. He looked at each of them. "You must never tell Uther of what I an going to do." He didn't wait for a response. He started chanting. Merlin's unfocused eyes rolled to Gaius when the chanting began. Merlin's eyes closed. His breathing returned to normal. He looked as if he was asleep, but his face kept moving as if he still felt pain. Which, he did.

Gaius stopped chanting and watched Merlin. "This...has happened before but never like this."

Gwaine was the first to speak out of the group of knights. "...what was that?"

Gaius sighed. "It is not the time or the place to tell you. Plus, it's Merlin's choice to tell you." He turned to Arthur. "Do you mind if he stays here? If we move him the pain will come back twice as worse...that was a lesson learned the hard way." Arthur said he didn't mind, but he would watch Merlin to make sure he was getting better. Gaius was fine with that.

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The King of Elador sat on his horse, over looking Camelot. He and his knights were there for the tournament. The king felt his son's magic. He smiled. His sweet baby was coming home with him, one way or another. But first...he flicked his hand. He felt his son's distress. "Don't worry, baby, I'll fix it soon. I promise."


	3. Prince Merlin

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The king and knights of Elador rode into Camelot, a few days after the king lifted the spell from Merlin but not totally. Arthur hadn't let Merlin out of his sight, after all he was worried. The night of the feast, all the lords and ladies were there including the King of Elador, Balinor, and his knights. He kept searching for his son. Then he saw the black mop of hair and the skinny frame. He smirked. He watched as his son's body tensed as he got closer to them. The king caught a glance of the tattoo on the back of his son's neck, at the base, hidden by the scarf.

The king's eyes glowed and he tilted his head forward. Merlin's hand went straight to his neck and his face twisted in pain. He fell to the floor. Most of the lords and ladies, and many visiting people stood up, including the people of Camelot, but not the King and Knights of Elador. "Sorcerer..." Balinor stood up, lazily. "Uthur, you should learn more about the people you hire and invite to your home. Allow me to introduce myself properly, I am King Balinor of Elador, the Dragonlord. And this..." Two knights came to Merlin and pulled him up by his arms and held him so his feet barely touched the ground. "Is my son, the Runaway Prince Merlin Emrys."

Uther's eyes scanned them for similarities. "If he is your son prove it." Balinor turned to Merlin and reached for the scarf. He untied it to reveal a glowing dragon tattoo on the back of his neck. "...Now, if you don't mind I have things to discus with my son." Balinor and his knights left, carrying Merlin.

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Merlin woke up in a room, that he had never seen before. "Merlin, you were asleep for a long time. I was getting worried." Merlin felt a hand combing through his hair. "You know, it was a very bad thing you did. Running away for two years, no less. I have half a mind to take you home, lock you in your room and throw away the key." The combing stopped. The hand grabbed his face and turned it to him. "If you ever do something like that again, I WILL lock you up somewhere." Merlin pulled his head away. "...Now, Merlin. There's no need to act in such a way."

Merlin sat up. "How-why?"

"Hush, my son. I have missed you over the passed two years. I just want you home, safe and sound."

"Camelot is my home...I can't leave Arthur and Gaius-"

"Merlin, Gaius will understand. Now, rest. It is getting late."

"But I'm not-"

Merlin's father cast a sleeping spell on him and laid down next to him, cradling him in his arms.


	4. Stay WIth Him

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**Warning: light Merther**

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The next day was, for lack of a better word, odd. Arthur and the knights had been training all day, it wasn't that abnormal. What was abnormal was Arthur's aggressiveness in the one-on-one fights. He landed blows left and right. He beat every knights willing to fight him with more rage then he ever displayed before.

_"How could he not tell me? Me of all people! I'm his best friend and-"_ Arthur's thoughts were interrupted by the smell of blood. His own blood. He looked at his arm. He reopened a wound from one of his and Merlin's misadventures. Leon called out that practice was over and walked over to him. "Arthur?"

"What?"

"Is this about Merlin?"

"Of course it is. Isn't it always?"

Arthur touched the wound. Why did it hurt so much?...Arthur couldn't tell which pain he was talking about, the physical or emotional pain. Arthur looked over to see most of his friends coming over to him. He did the only reasonable thing.

He ran.

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Merlin wasn't allowed anywhere without at least two of the guards. They, apparently, didn't want to lose him either. Balinor went to talk with "an old friend" under the castle. Balinor wasn't surprised how easy it was to get to the Great Dragon. It was almost funny. Merlin was desperately trying to find Arthur, when he ran into him, literally. Arthur caught him around the waist before he fell backwards. "Thanks."

"Can we talk? In private?" The two guards watched them. "We are staying outside the doors. They said together. Arthur pulled Merlin inside his chambers and closed the door. "Why didn't you tell me you were a prince?! I thought there were no secrets between us!"

Merlin lowered his gaze. "I-well...you're bleeding."

Merlin placed his hand on Arthur's wound and gently healed it. Arthur tilted Merlin's chin up. "Merlin...you're not going to stay are you?" Merlin shook his head. "I want to, I really do-" Arthur placed his thumb on his lips to hush him. "Merlin...I have something to give you..." Arthur walked over to his bed, reached under the pillow and pulled out a necklace. "I was going to give you this for your birthday but...Here." Merlin took the necklace. It had the Pendragon Crest on it. The dragon had blue gems for eyes, matching Merlin's perfectly.

Arthur fastened it around Merlin's pale neck, making the necklace standout more. "Arthur...It's beautiful."

"Just like you..." Merlin blushed. "What do you want in return?"

"It's a gift. I don't want anything in return."

"Arthur, please."

Arthur sighed. "Fine...A kiss will do nicely." Merlin went for Arthur's cheek but ended up getting his mouth, since Arthur turned his head. He pulled Merlin close to his chest. If he had his way, Merlin would stay with him forever...but that couldn't happen, right?


	5. A relationship

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**Warning: implied adult themes**

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_Merlin's eyes twinkled whenever Arthur said his name. Arthur remembered the feel of skin against skin...The way Merlin seemed to melt into him. As if they were one._

_ He remembered the way some idiotic knights tried to court his Merlin and when he found out...They would limp away with something broken or bloodied. No one touched his Merlin. Everyone thought it was a brotherly relationship but it wasn't. Yes, was a brotherly relationship when they were with people. When they were alone, it was different. _

_ When they were with people, they would stand as close as possible. Merlin was his manservant, his best friend, his baby._

_His, His, His._

_Always. _

Arthur woke up. He felt something curled up next to him. He looked at lump next to him. Merlin...

Arthur wrapped his arms around him.

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"I demand you release my friend, Uther Pendragon." Balinor was furious when he found that the dragon was chained, bellow the castle.

"Why? It is a beast that will destroy anything in its path." Balinor shattered the goblet on the table Uther was seated at with his magic.

"Fine...One of my knights will fight for him in the tournament." Balinor's eyes glinted. He left to find his son. His sweet boy. When he went to his chambers, he wasn't there. He cast a locating spell. He ran to the place where he was pointed to. He burst through the doors to find his sweet baby laying, asleep, with Prince Arthur.

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Arthur placed a kiss on Merlin's messy hair. This was how it was supposed to be.

The doors burst open to find a distraught Balinor. He quickly closed the doors and walked over to his son. He seemed to be ignoring Arthur. "My son," Balinor said softly. "wake up. I sense there is something I need to know about the both of you."

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Once Merlin was awake, he turned a very deep red. Arthur ordered a passing servant to bring him and Merlin breakfast, since Balinor had already eaten. "Is there something you want to tell me, Merlin Emrys?" To Arthur, Balinor seemed like a normal father, in the moment. He had a stern expression and, well, radiated power. Merlin had obviously been in the position before.

"We should've locked the doors?" Arthur cuffed the back of Merlin's head. "Just tell him."

Merlin sighed. "We-me and Arthur- are in a...relationship." Balinor rised an eyebrow. "No one knows, not even Gaius." Both of his eyebrows shot up.

Balinor turned to Arthur. "One day, you will prove to me that you are worthy of my son's hand, but for now...you have my permission." Balinor noticed the necklace around Merlin's neck. He took it in his hand and studied it. "It's beautiful, Merlin." He brushed back his son's hair and walked over to Arthur. He whispered, "You take good care of him while we're here. He's a mischievous one." Arthur smiled. "Believe me, I know."

Balinor smiled. "I'll see you both at the feast tonight...And Merlin." Merlin's head snapped up. "I'm going to talk to Gaius." Merlin paled as Balinor walked away, laughing.


	6. The Feast Before The Tornament

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A few hours before the feast started, Merlin and Arthur were ambushed by the knights, Morgana, and Gwen.

"Is there a reason why you didn't tell us you were a prince?"

"Is everyone going to ask that?"

Merlin pulled on his shirt. His princely shirt. He got a set of clothes from his father, that he brought with him. Oddly enough, they were the perfect size. Arthur let him get dressed his chambers. Merlin's clothing was different from everyone else's. It was much less gaudy, but his shirt had a oval neck line, so it dipped to show more of his chest and shoulders. On Arthur's bed, there were two things wrapped in blue cloth, one of the colors of Eldor. Merlin unwrapped the circler one.

Gwen and Morgana gasped. "Merlin..."

"I know..."Merlin looked at them. The crown he held in his hands was in the shape of a dragon. Its eyes were dark just like the body. Merlin placed it on his head. He moved it so the dragon's head rested on his forehead. "It's beautiful." said Gwen, reaching out a hand. "I wouldn't touch him."

"Him?"

"Yes. Him. He can be very temperamental." Merlin smirked. He unwrapped the second item. This time the knights gasped. Merlin had unwrapped a dagger. It had jewels on the hilt and had writing on both sides of the blade, in a different language. "...I am not what I appear...I am what I appear.*****" Mordred translated. "What does that mean?"

Merlin smiled, sadly. "Whatever you want it to mean."

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At the feast, Merlin spoke to a knight, that was the same age as him, in a different language. The knight had dark brown hair and it seemed like they used to be very good friends. The knight took Merlin's hand and brushed his lips over his fingers. Merlin blushed and shoved the knight with his shoulder. Arthur had noticed this interaction and felt...well, jealous.

_"Come on, Arthur. It's not like your relationship is public or..."_ Arthur watched Merlin laid his head on the knights shoulder. _"...or you can beat the knight senseless."_

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Since Arthur's chambers were big enough, the knights, Gwen and Morgana had started meeting in there. Merlin walked in the room with the knight that he spoke with during the feast. "Everyone, this is Sir William. He's going to be in the tournament tomorrow." Arthur looked up from his desk. He seemed nice enough.

"...Why were you kissing Merlin's hand during the feast?" asked Mordred. The knight wrapped his arm around Merlin. "Oh, in Eldor kissing someone's hand is a sign of respect. Male or female. Plus, Merlin looks adorable when he bushes...and, please, call me Will."

"...wait, you speak English?" Will laughed at Gwaine's question. "Of course; who do you think taught Merlin?" Will ruffled Merlin's hair, affectionately.

"Will's somewhat my...big brother."

"No else would take on the task of keeping this one out of trouble, so I might as well do it."

"Not doing a very good job, are you?" mumbled Arthur, but Merlin and Will both heard him. "Uh, I think Merlin and I should be getting to bed. We'll see you tomorrow." Will dragged Merlin down the hallway, chattering in a different language.

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***The words on Merlin's dagger are like the words on Excalibur. **


	7. Anyone But You

**OH MY GOSH! You guys are awesome! Please keep giving me these great reviews!**

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"Arthur, do you need help with getting your armor on?" Merlin walked into the tent where Arthur and most of them were. Arthur turned to face Merlin. A glint of gold caught his eye.

Merlin was wearing the necklace Arthur gave him. He was wearing his dragon crown and had his dagger strapped to his belt. He looked stunning, even though he was wearing his servant clothes. Arthur smirked. "No, Merlin. I'm fine." Arthur, gently, took Merlin's hand and brought it to his lips. "Sign of respect."

Merlin let slip a few giggles. He pulled a light blue piece of cloth from his pocket. "...It's a token of my love and friendship, Arthur." Merlin embraced the blonde prince. "I thought you would need it since we are going to kick your-"

There was a shout of "Merlin!" from outside the tent. "I have to go. I'll see you later."

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Arthur was fighting Sir William for the right to keep the dragon. Why did they even have a dragon under the castle anyway? The two knights walked into the arena. Will started yelling in a different language. The knights of Eldor yelled back. _"Arthur? Can you hear me?"_

"Merlin?" Arthur looked at him out of the corner of his eye. _"I'm in your head, Arthur. I want to tell you what they said."_

_"Well?"_

_"They said that they are going to take back what was, and is, theirs."_

_"And that means?"_

_"The Great Dragon...and me...Arthur, there's something I need to tell you..." _Arthur heard the sadness in Merlin's voice. _"What is it, love?" _

_"I'm engaged. I'm sorry. I tried to stop it. I just-" _his words were cut off. It seemed as if Merlin was about to cry. His Merlin.

Arthur looked at Will. He looked angry. Arthur heard his voice. _"I don't trust you. You're not right for my little brother. He needs...well, anyone but you." _

The fight began.


	8. The Night Before The Tornament

***Flashback to the night before the tournament***

_"Merlin, you can't be serious. You don't love him." Merlin rolled his eyes as he snuggled closer to his big brother. He told Will that he loved Arthur, and he wasn't taking it lightly. "No, no, no. You can't love him. You're too young. I forbid you to be in love!" _

_"Will, I'm old enough to take care of myself."_

_"Not by my standers," There was a knock at the door. "If that's him-"_

_"Come in!" Gaius walked in and shut the door behind him. "Merlin Emrsy," Merlin winced at the use of his full name. "I told you: you can't skip your medicine." He place a bottle in Merlin's hand, who pulled a face. "Now, young man." Both, knight and prince, winced at the tone. Gaius could make Balinor feel guilty even though he was far from a young man. Merlin swallowed it in one glup. "Gross..." _

_ "It's good for you."_

_ "Yeah, but I don't have to like it."_

_ "You're still doing to take it."_

_ "Yes, Gaius."_

_ Will shook his head at Merlin. "How many times have you skipped?" Merlin leaned on him. "Umm..."_

_"That's what I thought." Will touched the tattoo on Merlin's neck. The mouth of the dragon seemed to snap at him. He chuckled. "Time for bed, Merlin." Merlin sighed. "OK...night, Gaius." _

_ "Goodnight, my boy." He left, taking the bottle with him. Merlin settled himself under the covers. The knight slipped in next to him and gave him a kiss on the forehead. "I feel weak, Will."_

_"I know. The medicine is working."_

_ "Why do I have to take it?"_

_Will sighed. "We've been through this before. You don't have complete control over your magic yet."_

_"Do too."_

_"Do not."_

_"Do too."_

_"Merlin. Go. To. Sleep." _

_ "No."_

_ "What will make you go to sleep?'_

_"Tell me what you and my dad were talking about."_

_ "No."_

_ "Why not?"_

_Will sighed. "...Fine, but you promise you'll go to sleep?"_

_ "Yes; cross my heart."_

_ "...The king has given your hand, in marriage, to a knight...he took your...er, preference into consideration."_

_Merlin was silent. "I love Arthur."_

_Will pulled him closer. "You'll learn to love the man. Now, go to sleep."_

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